Jim Baird: “Today I rise in opposition to H.R. 4447, the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act. My reason for this is like many of…”

“Today I rise in opposition to H.R. 4447, the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act. My reason for this is like many of my Republican colleagues, it has a misguided focus on applied energy, and almost no focus or attention to basic research. The area I am concerned about is the lack of attention on biological and environmental research, BER. Just a few weeks ago, the Science Committee held a hearing on the Department of Energy's BER office. We heard how their world-class user facilities and bioenergy research centers bring together researchers and data for open collaboration, not seen anywhere else in the world. Ranking Member Lucas' bill, H.R. 5685, the Securing American Leadership in Science and Technology Act, authorizes these user facilities and bioenergy research centers, along with a host of other basic research provisions. My point is: That there are productive alternatives that have the right focus and are ready to be passed, instead of this partisan package in front of us today.”